The fight against Gloriosa Daisy was a continuously difficult one with the Main 7 being constantly outmatched in magical power. Currently, the group was huddled underneath a diamond shield created by Rarity as she struggled to keep the vines surrounding them at bay. "I can't keep this up forever!"
Sunset then turned to Twilight and placed her hands upon her shoulders. "It's up to you Twilight, you have to let your magic free. We can't do this without you."
Twilight turned away fearfully. "But... what if I can't control myself and Midnight Sparkle takes over. I just can't take that kind of risk. It's too much."
Tears began to well up in Twilight's eyes as Sunset pulled her into a hug and spoke again. "Sometimes you need to accept the darkness as a way of making the light within you shine even brighter." Sunset pulled away and flashed a knowing smile before winking at Twilight.
Twilight wiped her tears and closed her eyes as she took a deep breath. At which point, Rarity's strength was beginning to falter as she had trouble even standing up anymore. Twilight's eyes then shot open as she found herself in a sort of alternate plain where a giant apparition of Midnight Sparkle appeared behind her.
Midnight laughed as she saw Twilight's smaller form floating before her. "Hahahahahaha! So, come to finally let me free and have some fun?" Midnight's smile grew as she scaled herself down to match Twilight's size. "Or do you just plan to sit there and resist like a leaf against a tempest?"
As Midnight reached towards Twilight, the latter closed her eyes stoically as she addressed her magical counterpart. "You're right. You are a part of me. And no matter how much I want to believe otherwise, I can't get rid of you."
Midnight flinched for a bit out of surprise, but soon recovered and smiled with a hint of pride. "You know, I gotta be honest, I never expected you to say that with such a straight face. But you realize that this changes nothing about what I have planned once I'm out." However, when Midnight tried to touch Twilight, she found that instead of phasing into her like she expected, her hand simply placed itself upon her chest solidly. "What? What's happening?!"
Twilight opened her eyes and addressed Midnight once again with a stern look on her face. "I said that you were a part of me, not the other way around. I can't control you and vice versa, but if we are to share a body, then we have to be willing to make compromises. Right now, there's an innocent person who's corrupted with Equestrian magic. If we don't help her, she might do some serious damage to this world as well as our friends." Twilight took a deep breath as her expression softened. "So what do you say, wanna kick some villain butt?" She smiled and held a hand out for Midnight to take.
Midnight seemed contemplative as she looked to her host as well as the magical projections of her companions floating behind her. Reluctantly, She took her hand and gripped it firmly before shaking it. "Fine, but I wanna be able to actually experience what this world has to offer. Food, activities, all the thrills that you humans call fun."
Twilight returned the handshake and looked her doppelgänger straight in the eye. "Fine, but nothing too overboard. I'll let you sense what I sense and even let you express your thoughts, but no full-blown takeover shenanigans, got it? We're a pair, not a rivalry."
Midnight rolled her eyes and released the handshake. "Fine fine, I get it. So we doing this or what?"
Twilight nodded as she held out her hand again for Midnight to take. Upon doing so, the two closed their eyes and felt their respective energies surging before mixing with one another and merging altogether.
With the main 7, Rarity's shield was close to collapsing as the roots were slowly making their way inside. Suddenly, Twilight became enveloped in a magical aura with a dark shade to it as she began to levitate. As this occurred, the branches suddenly began to crystalize and break apart, allowing the light to shatter them completely before dimming down and revealing what looked to be Midnight Sparkle in her full form with a lighter skin tone and different wings. Upon opening her eyes however, it was revealed that she had Twilight's eyes, allowing the rest of the group a brief sigh of relief as she flew up to Gloriosa's perch and pulled apart the brambles keeping her inside.
Gloriosa tried to fight back, but her new adversary was too powerful. "No, please. Stop!"
Midnight paid no attention as she carefully removed the jewels from Gloriosa's neck and floated them down to the main 7. Upon reaching their respective owners, they each turned into a pedant. She then addressed Gloriosa and spoke with a dual voice. "These do not belong to you, Gloriosa Daisy. You have misused the magic of friendship and have caused the suffering and panic of others as a result. This, I cannot allow!" Midnight then pulled her victim out from the brambles and absorbed what was left of the magic within her, causing her to revert back to normal and the brambles to wilt back into the ground as the magic imbued within them faded.
The two landed carefully onto the ground with Gloriosa collapsing out of exhaustion and Midnight turned to the rest of the girls with a raised eyebrow. "What the hell are you all looking at?"
Flinching slightly, Sunset cautiously approached the figure and held out her hand. "Twilight, is that you?"
Midnight scoffed and looked to Sunset with a smirk. "Well yes and no. Technically, I'm a fusion of their souls This is me when Midnight's in the driver's seat. Twilight's still in the subconscious, but I can let her out if you wanna speak to her."
Sunset nodded as the figure closed her eyes and enveloped herself in another magical glow that dimmed down and revealed Twilight Sparkle herself who placed one hand on her knee and the other on her head. "Wow, that was a total rush. I might need some serious aspirin." She then turned and saw Sunset. "Heh, looks like you were right. Once I accepted Midnight Sparkle as a part of me, it was easy to gain that new power." Twilight chuckled, but then grunted slightly as she held her head again. "Although it does leave me with a bit of a headache afterwards."
Twilight's eyes suddenly opened as they were replaced by Midnight Sparkle's eyes. "You're telling me. I'm a magical entity and even I can feel it." Twilight's eyes then returned to normal as she looked to Sunset who had a confused look on her face.
Twilight chuckled. "I guess when we merged, Midnight sort of became a sort of alternate personality for me. I guess this is better than having her take over and stealing whatever magic she can find."
Sunset smiled and chuckled slightly as she went in and gave Twilight a hug of pure pride and happiness. "Well the only thing that matters now is that you were able to accept her and use her power for something good."
The two then heard Rarity go into a fit of laughter and saw that she was examining her new pendant closely, as well as everyone else's. "Oh my, these accessories will totally go with the collection I have planned for the camp Fashion show!" Rarity then looked to see the others eyeing her with raised eyebrows. "That's probably cancelled, isn't it."
A few hours later, the students of CHS were helping to clean up the mess caused by the events of today as Gloriosa Approached Principals Celestia and Luna with a look of remorse on her face. "I'm really sorry about all of this. All I wanted was to make this the best week of camp ever. Maybe Filthy Rich taking this place back is for the best."
Celestia then put her hand on Gloriosa's shoulder. "No, it's not. This camp has meant so much to so many people, including my sister and me."
Luna then spoke her part. "We wanted our students to come here because we were hoping that they would have as much fun as we did, and it seems clear that those hopes were realized."
The students gathered and cheered in agreement as Twilight stepped forward and spoke as well. "We can't let Filthy Rich take this place away."
Suddenly, Twilight took a sharp breath as her eyes shut tightly and opened again, revealing that Midnight Sparkle had now taken the front. "Well we could always steal from him and say we got the money."
Twilight shook her head as her eyes returned to normal. "No way we can do that. He'd know for sure if we did that and then he'd absolutely tear this place down."
Midnight reluctantly conceded as Twilight thought up another idea. "You know, if this camp meant so much to everyone here, maybe it meant as much to those who came here in year's past."
Sunset then stepped up alongside Twilight. "And maybe we can get them to help save it."
Applejack then put down the large support she was carrying. "Oh, like a fundraiser?"
Rarity then came forward excitedly. "Or a ball?!"
Rainbow spoke next. "Our band could play."
Fluttershy then offered her help. "I could write a new song just for the occasion."
The rest of the students spoke up and put forward their own ideas of how to help out. Gloriosa was happy to see everyone willing to help out, but she still had nowhere to host this event. To which Sunset suggested that they hold it in the crystal caves. Despite her worries, Gloriosa trusted everyone to help her out however they could. Soon, the planning and preparation was underway as Twilight, Timber, and Rainbow Dash put together and sent out the invitations to past Camp Everfree Campers. Applejack helped the rest of the students clear out the rocks and boulders, though she likely could have done it all herself, and everyone else worked to decorate the caves and prepare the party amenities.
By the next evening, the party was underway as the Rainbooms were up on stage singing their hearts out with everyone in attendance dancing along. Soon, the song ended and Gloriosa made the announcement that they had raised enough money to save Camp Everfree and keep it around for years to come.
Later that night, Twilight was using her magic to adjust the lights when Timber came over to talk to her. "Not to brag or anything, but it's pretty cool how I saved all those campers from those Rubus Fruticosis. Blackberry brambles."
Twilight laughed and looked at him smugly. "I'm familiar with the genus. It's just a little weird you say you saved the campers. I thought I saved them."
Her eyes then changed as Midnight spoke up. "Yeah hot shot, we did all the work. What the hell did you do? Chop slowly at the wall with an axe? Get stuck in the very plants you were fighting? If anything, you were more of a damsel in distress than the actual women in the area."
Despite flinching in surprise, Timber upheld his smirk. "Yeah, but I saved you from falling on the dock so that you could save the campers. So technically, it was all me."
Midnight rolled her eyes. "Oh please. We both know that you're just doing this to impress Twilight and get under her skirt. Speaking of which, she might be fine with it, but I say no way José." Timber raised an eyebrow, but still kept a hopeful grin. "Don't get me wrong, you're a cool guy that I'm positive would get along great with Twilight. But there's a little bit of an age gap going here and I don't think that a lot of people would be on board."
Timber was about to refute Midnight's statement, but after a few seconds of thought, he admitted that she had a very valid point and accepted the response. At which point, Twilight's eyes returned to normal, signifying Midnight's departure. Twilight then apologized for her bluntness, but Timber dismissed it and acknowledged that what she said held enough water for him to accept it. As such, the two parted ways with a firm handshake as Timber went to join his sister in talking with sponsors that had been good friends with his parents.
Twilight then rejoined her friends who all had looks of disappointment, but understood what happened and were proud of her for it. Afterwards, they all went back to the party and enjoyed the festivities.
As the event drew to a close, Sunset and Twilight found themselves looking to the sky drinking their punch when a thought suddenly occurred to Sunset. "You know, a thought suddenly occurred to me." Twilight turned to her and encouraged her to continue. "Where did the magic that hit this cave come from?" As the two thought, Midnight Sparkle was doing the same as an image of the Wondercolts statue at CHS popped into her mind. As it did, her eyes widened in surprise as she made a mental note to be on the lookout for any supernatural elements that would occur from here on out.
Author's Note
So What did you guys think? Constructive criticisms are encouraged and if you want to see more stories like these, please feel free to either message me or say so in the comments.
Other than that, have a great day and may your journeys through the strange and unknown breed many interesting thoughts my siblings.
